The Open Window
by csinyfan28
Summary: It was a frantic morning and she hated them but, she had no choice. It was rare for him but, it was the only way he could get there. This was supposed to be an one-shot but a follow-up was requested. Last chapter is up!
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: Here's another one-shot! I hope you will enjoy this one – it's very different from the ones I usually write! It starts off a little bit slow, but it get's… oh, you'll find out ;)**_

* * *

The Open Window

The sound of the silver-toned alarm clock pierced the silence of the room. Upon hearing it, she let out an annoyed groan and quickly swung her arm over to snooze the damn thing but accidently sent it smashing to the ground. The poor little device got a beating everyday. It either ended up on the floor or knocked over on the night table.

She usually got up at the trill of the device but this morning she was feeling rather exhausted. She rolled into bed last night at 2:30am as reports were finished at 1:00am. She usually woke at 6:45 to shower, prepare a hot breakfast for Ellie, sign any permission forms, get dressed, dodge the morning traffic and get work for 8:30. _Five more minutes_ she thought to herself as she sunk herself into her pillow and pulled the covers over her head.

As she drifted back to sleep, she thought about what he had told her two weeks ago in the elevator. She couldn't stop thinking about what he told her and she tried to control the desperate yearn inside of her. Ever since he told her, it felt like God was giving her a chance or as if she drew a winning lottery ticket that she had yet to cash in. His voice rang through her head_, "she didn't like what I do for a living", "I guess she wanted someone more real you know… the type of guy who comes home in time for dinner and doesn't have to cancel plans for a dead person", "We've been apart for two months now"_. His voice started to fade in her thoughts as she was rounded by another phase of slumber.

After a while, she felt fairly uneasy as if she was late. Her eyes fluttered open and she saw tiny sunrays beam into her room. _What time is it?_ She rubbed her eyes slightly and tried to focus them. She squinted as she stared carefully at the wall clock. _7:43am._

"Oh my lord!" She whispered to herself. In one swift pull, the covers flew off her body and her legs flung over the edge of the bed. The cold hardwood floor sent chills up her legs, which forced her to quickly slip into her slippers.

She shuffled to her closet and yanked a wool, black cardigan from its hanger along with a form fitting white, long sleeve shirt. As she made her way to her lingerie chest she hollered, "Ellie, wake up! We're gonna be late!" However, there was no response from the child.

She grabbed a random bra and threw it on her bed along with her cardigan and white shirt. Moving over to her dresser, she took out the first pair of jeans she could find and threw it on the bed too. Still in her pajamas, she dashed out of her room and in a split second; she was in front of Ellie's bedroom. She frantically knocked on the door and shouted, "Ellie! Wake up! We're late!"

She ran back to back to her room and slammed the door shut. She shuffled into the bathroom, brushed her teeth and quickly splashed cold water on her face. She slapped some moisturizer on her face and left the bathroom.

She quickly pulled her pajama top over her head and her bottoms off her legs as she kicked them somewhere to the side. She grabbed her bra, threaded her arms through it and clasped the back together. She flung the white shirt over her head and draped the cardigan over her shoulders. She slipped one leg through her jeans and then the other.

She ran to her vanity and grabbed the first necklace that she saw lying there along with a few rings that were dotted on the furniture piece. She ran her fingers through her hair and she decided that was it – there was no time for makeup except for a quick swipe of pink lip balm. She saw that the clock was already 7:49. _Shoot!_

She ran over to her dresser again, grabbed her purse and flung it over her shoulder. She journeyed over to Ellie's room once more but this time she entered without knocking, as she heard no movement coming from inside the room. She saw her daughter still in bed as she was wrapped up in her sheets. Scrimmaging through her purse, she took out a $10 bill and some change.

"Ellie, crap… here…" She said as she placed the money on her nightstand. She gave the child a quick shake and added, "You can stop by the cafeteria at school for a breakfast sandwich or something. We don't have time to whip something up. Get up!"

Ellie stirred a bit and let out an unsatisfied groan. Finally she murmured, "Mooooooom, it's the first day of Christmas break. Did you forget? Let me sleeeeeep." She shooed her mother off and pulled the sheets over her head.

She knew her daughter was right. _Damn it, I forgot_. She quickly said, "Oh right… okay. Buh-bye. I'll call you during my lunch break." She got up and headed for the door.

"No. Don't call… I wanna sleep until one." Ellie added before Jo closed the door behind her.

There was no time for morning coffee so she decided to grab a granola bar from on the counter and stuffed it in her purse. She headed for the front entrance and shoved her feet in whatever pair of shoes was in her plain sight. Luckily, they were her black ankle boots and she sighed in relief. She grabbed her keys and headed out the door.

When she was exposed to the cold air of winter, she cursed to herself as she forgot her coat. She had nothing more than a wool cardigan to keep her warm. She rolled her eyes when she saw a few snowflakes twirl in front of her and rolled them again when she saw that the morning traffic had already quickened its pace. The possibility of not getting stuck in traffic and arriving to work at 8:30 was very slim.

She knew trying to hail a cab in the morning would be nearly impossible, especially on Third Avenue. She simply shook her head at the thought. She knew the subway stopped in front of the Radford's Coffee Café at 8:00am every morning. Ellie would take it to school which was three stops from the crime lab.

She stole a quick glance at her watch, 7:49. "11 goddamn minutes. Can you make it Josephine?"

As she ran as fast as she could, she rummaged through her purse for her prepaid metro card. Upon realizing that she forgot to reload it, she gave up. Instead, she fished out $3 from the depths of her purse while trying to dodge traffic as she crossed the street.

She approached Radford's Coffee Café and she got a whiff of freshly brewed coffee with pedestrians would open the door to leave or enter. She ignored the delicious aroma and quickly dashed down the stairs to the underground subway station. She headed towards the little plump lady who sat in a metal box behind a glass pane and looked like she hated the job. She sighed in relief as she saw there was no line-up to get the subway tickets.

The lady saw her approaching and asked, "What ya want?" The lady looked away from her and took a malicious bite from her buttery, toasted bagel.

"A ticket for the subway please… Um, #405" She said as she tried to remember the number.

"$2.50." The lady hollered as she rang the ticket through the register.

"Don't worry about the fifty cents." She insisted as she handed the three dollars over to the lady.

"#405 comes at eight o'clock. You bettah hurry it up and get yo' 'lil behind at the loadin' terminal."

She rolled her eyes at the woman and decided that she didn't have time to get angry with her for being so rude. With a quick turn on her heel, she headed for the loading terminal. _2 minutes, Jo._

* * *

He readjusted his scarf and leaned back on the seat to a more comfortable position. He pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut, as he felt utterly exhausted from last night. _You work too hard, Mac._ He opened his eyes and looked down at his coffee. Opening the lid, he gave it a quick blow to cool down the steaming liquid.

He put the lid back on and took a quick sip. Taking the stir stick, he sat there playing with his coffee and thought about what she said in the elevator two weeks ago. _"I'll always be here if you need me", "Don't worry, Mac. When God closes a door, somewhere He opens a window", "Someone will appreciate and love you for who you are". _He was incredibly attracted to her but he knew _they_ weren't going to happen. She wouldn't want to start a relationship with her boss.

He stole a quick glance at his watch, _eight o'clock_. There was another twenty-five minutes before his stop so; he decided to close his eyes for a bit. The rhythm of the subway on the tracks rocked his body slightly and he started to relax. The subway halted to a stop and he heard the doors sliding open. His body continued to relax as he ignored the boarding the people. But, a familiar female voice caused his eyes to fling open.

"Well good morning black coffee with one sugar!" She said ecstatically.

He noticed that she was approaching the empty seat beside him and he decided to scoot over a bit. She gave him a friendly smile of thanks and sat beside him. He repaid the morning greeting and said, "And good morning to you uh….uh… one sugar and… um…"

"2 sugar, one cream." She interrupted his attempt to guess her coffee order.

"Sorry, I didn't know that. I don't usually do the coffee run." He apologized as he sat up straight. For a second or two, they didn't say anything to each other. He simply sat and enjoyed the subtle rocking of the subway and she enjoyed the morning chatter of the people who were on before them.

"Woke up late this morning? Is that why you took the subway?" He asked, deciding to start off a friendly conversation. He noticed that she had no makeup on at all except perhaps a few dabs of pink lip balm. He studied her face for a fraction of a second. Even without the foundation, the mascara, the eyeliner, the lipstick, and the concealer, she looked flawless to him. She had a few freckles dotted here and there that he had never seen before. He liked them. He wondered if her face was as soft as he imagined it to be.

He was broken out of his quick thoughts when she exclaimed, "Yeah! The alarm didn't go off!"

"… and there would be no use in driving to work! I would probably get stuck in traffic for 47 hours. I hate subways… they always smell bad. Plus, they're always so hot and sweaty." She explained herself and then she looked down at her leather boots. _Ugh, they're dirty_.

"…. But it's not so bad today. I'd enjoy it more if I got to ride you." She added.

He looked at her with wide opened eyes and said, "easy there, tiger."

She didn't realize what had came out of her mouth and in a flash of second, her pupils dilated as her mouth hung ajar. Her brain scrambled for words and she finally blurt out, "I meant… I'd enjoy it more if I got to ride_ IT_ with you. The _SUBWAY_!" She quickly smiled at him in attempt to cover up her mishap.

Then, her smile turned into a nervous one and she her eyes darted back to her shoes. _Oh my god, did I really just say that?_ He looked at her and shook his head slightly in amusement. He laughed softly and reciprocated her smile. A moment of silence stretched between them as he continued to study her without her knowing.

Taking her eyes from her shoes, she looked up at him and asked, "Well, why are you taking the subway?"

"The avalanche is in for an oil change. I'm going to pick it up during the lunch break, care to join?" He asked.

"Yeah, sure. Care to buy me lunch afterwards?" She asked playfully. _Shut up, Jo! You're making a fool out of yourself!_

"Fine…" He sarcastically scoffed and he was lucky that he got another one of her big smiles as a response. _God, I love her smile. _

She felt slightly nervous afterwards. _Jo, did you just flash him your creepy smile?_ She looked down at her hands in attempt to find something to do with them. She resorted to one of her silver rings and decided to toy around with the one resting on her middle finger. She took it off, put it back on, and then took it off again.

He couldn't help but look at her profile. Every rise and fall of her face was beautiful to him. Then, he couldn't help look at her cleavage. _Mac, control yourself._ Then, something else caught his eye. He saw the bold print and he let out a slight chuckle.

She heard his throaty giggle and her head shot straight up. He sensed her sudden movement and his eyes turned away. Instinctively, she looked to her left and then to her right. She was confused at what he was laughing at.

"Who are you laughing at? Are you laughing at me?" She questioned with a confused look and she pointed her index finger at herself.

"Maybe…." He replied and looked down at his coffee, randomly toying with the stir stick.

"What? Do I have toothpaste on my face?" She asked frantically and patted random places on her face. _God damnit! I should've looked in the mirror before I left!_

"No… " He answered softly with a wide grin smeared across his face.

"Mac Taylor!" She exclaimed as she firmly slapped her thigh as an emphasis of annoyance.

"Okay, okay! I'm pretty sure women own quite a few pieces of undergarments but, this woman…" He said as he pointed to her and then added, "…decided to wear_ that_ one?"

She looked at him for a moment longer as she tried to comprehend what he was trying to tell her. In a flash of a second, she understood what he meant. She looked down at her chest and she immediately saw it. _Oh my god_…. She quickly grabbed both sides of her open cardigan and covered her chest.

"Oops…. Should've went for the beige instead of leopard print, huh? Not that fitting for my age either… but it was a spontaneous purchase." She quickly tried to explain herself but it was no use. Her face was flushed to a shade of crimson.

"I didn't know that Jo Danville was the type to wear a leopard bra under a _very_ see-through white shirt!" He exclaimed and let out another chuckle.

She squinted her eyes at him in attempt to look angry and said, "I'm going to kill you if you laugh one more time…" She saw his raised eyebrows and his mouth that hung slightly ajar. She soon broke out in a little giggle fit of her own. She smiled lightly and said, "I'm only kiddin', Mac".

He scoffed a little and looked down at his coffee that he was holding with both of his hands. He heard a barely audible rumble. _Was that my stomach?_ Then, he realized it was hers. He noticed that she was quickly digging through her purse for something.

"Here you are!" She said as she held a granola bar in her hand as if it were a trophy.

"Seriously? A granola bar for breakfast? It's the gross kind too… apple crumble!"

"Oh well, I'm starving." She said sternly as she unwrapped it. She took a bit out of it and mumbled, "Damn, I didn't have enough time to make coffee this morning either…"

"Here… I don't mind" He offered as he held out his cup towards her. She swallowed her bite of the granola bar and looked at him with wide eyes. He chuckled softly and offered again, "Yeah, go ahead."

"Thank you." She said as she took the cup from him. Opening the tab of the lid, she rounded her lips and gave the coffee a soft blow to cool it down.

"Wow, that's strong!" she exclaimed as she wrinkled her nose and cocked up an eyebrow.

"There's a shot of espresso. The stronger, the better; especially after the long shift we had last night."

Before she could take another sip, the subway halted to a stop and the sliding doors opened. Her eyes scanned the people that were walking in. She wondered about their lives and what who they were behind their business suits and stern, morning faces.

She saw a pregnant woman wobble her way through the entrance and was rubbing her large bump on her way in. Her face automatically darkened when she saw that all the seats were taken. Following suit behind her was an elderly lady, presumably her grandmother, who was walking slowly behind her. Both of the women stood in front of Mac and Jo and held tightly onto the metal pole.

Jo thought about letting them stay standing but she knew that would be cruel. She raised her hand up and touched the pregnant woman slightly on her arm. "Hey there. Here, take my seat! You need to get off your feet."

"Are you sure? I don't want to be a pest." The pregnant lady asked sincerely.

"Yeah, for sure. It wouldn't be right to leave a pregnant woman standing." Jo offered and stood up and switched places with the woman. She grabbed onto the pole and found her balance on the moving subway.

"Thank you."

She simply returned a smile as a gesture of, "_you're welcome_".

Mac saw that the elderly lady was still standing and decided to follow Jo's actions. He got the woman's attention and said, "Yeah ma'am, take my seat too."

"Oh, thank you kindly, young one." The elderly woman said as she slowly made her way over to Mac's seat as he stood up. She placed her cane in front of her and smiled up at him.

"Oh God bless you two." She said thankfully and gave Mac another smile. She didn't look that well off but the crow's feet around her eyes and the deep wrinkles around her mouth signified a life filled with laughter and joy.

Mac grabbed onto the pole with his hand slightly touching Jo's. The slight connection sent a spark of warmth up her hands and it caused her to lean her whole body against the pole just to be closer to him.

She looked at the pregnant woman and analyzed her. She looked young… she didn't even looked like a woman but, teenager. She decided to ask friendly, "When are you due?"

"In three and a half weeks. We're heading to the doctor's office now." The girl replied softly.

She studied the girl once more. _Young teen. Pregnant on a subway with her grandmother. Below-average living style. Ratty hair_. She decided to say, "Oh, I remember when I was that far along with my son… all I did was stay in bed and ate everything I could find."

"Ha! Oh I bet." He laughed as he interrupted their conversation.

Her gaze shifted away from the girl and towards him. She turned her whole body to face him and she was looking right into his eyes. She squinted them again and gave him an, "_I'm angry_" kind of glare. "Mac Taylor! Well, aren't you a funny one today? Yes, I gained 36 pounds when I was pregnant!"

Suddenly, the train came to an abrupt stop and she couldn't help but fall backward even though she held onto that pole as tightly as she could. His one hand was gripped tightly to the pole while the other hand swung around her waist, catching her from falling backwards.

"Careful! Are you okay?" He asked with concern laced through his voice. He pulled her back towards him and she quickly placed her hand on his shoulder to regain her balance.

She felt the right side, just above her hip, become damp and…. _Hot!_, "Oh my god! Hot! Your coffee!"She hollered. Her eyebrows bunched as she felt the liquid stinging her skin.

He forgot to remind himself that his hand held a coffee before he grabbed her waist. The abrupt stop and the sudden clash of his arm with her body caused the coffee to spill on her cardigan. The hot, brown beverage seeped through the wool and onto her white shirt. She peeled one side of the cardigan off her body and saw how the right side of her white shirt was now stained a light brown color.

"It's a bad idea to bring scorching hot coffee on the subway… I forgot how abrupt the stops were." He said. He eyed the man behind Jo and said, "Excuse me sir, can you throw this in the bin behind you?"

The man looked at him and gave him a quick nod as a gesture of agreement. He leaned forward to hand him his half-full cup of coffee. She realized how his body was leaning against hers and she subconsciously allowed her eyes to watch his every move. He retracted his body back to his normal position and he caught her looking at him. He didn't think much of it and decided to give her one of his crooked smiles.

The subway became even more crowded when another herd of middle-aged men and women piled into the cart. Their bodies came even closer together to the point where her chest was gently pressed into his. She looked down at their bodies and let out a soft giggle.

"This is a little awkward." She said quietly and placed her forehead on his shoulder as she continued to giggle. Her hair slipped from behind her eyes and covered her face.

"Can you last for two more stops like this?" He let out a slight chuckle as looked down. He loved the feel of her forehead resting gently on his shoulder. For some unexplainable reason, it felt … natural and comforting. He subconsciously tilted his head down and his cheek grazed her soft, silky tresses. He slightly closed his eyes as he breathed in the scent of her hair. The natural scent of her - warm vanilla and lavender - made him crazy. He swore that he was going insane with pleasure. He leaned even closer to her and took in the scent of her once more.

"…. Hope so." Was all she could manage the scent of his aftershave rendered her speechless. She loved how he smelled - a natural sexy, subtle musk with a hint of warm spice.

Suddenly he allowed his free arm reach around her waist again, pulling her closer to him while the other hand was busy holding the pole to maintain balance. He wanted more of her curvaceous body to fit with his. _Maybe she's the window He opened_….

She readjusted herself and now, her cheek was resting on his shoulder as she felt him pulling her closer. She turned her head the other way. Her nose was now slightly grazing the side of his neck. She was slightly confused as to why they were in this position – embracing in the middle of a crowded subway but she didn't seem to care. The warmth of his body against hers put her at ease. She felt something ignite from her inner core; a spark. She felt closure – something she hadn't felt in a long time. She couldn't help but let her thoughts wander off. _ I wonder how his body feels when I'm under... Jo! Stop thinking like that!_

The old woman looked up at them and let out a rather large smile. She watched the whole scene unfold and she couldn't help but let out a chuckle. The laugh was louder than she intended in which caused his head to be the first one to rise up. He caught the old woman chuckling with herself but looking in their direction.

Her head was still resting on his shoulder with her eyes slightly closed. He tilted his head gently and whispered in her ear, "I think she enjoys watching us" and then the corners of his mouth curled upwards.

She popped her head up and looked at the woman with a confused facial expression.

"You two remind me of my husband and I. God bless his soul that old geezer." The old woman tried to explain her laughter.

"Really?" Jo asked curiously.

"We met on a subway in London, you know, around the time of the Blitz. He was going to work and so was I…. different places though…." The old woman began.

Jo shifted her position and stood with her back against his chest.

"…. And everyday at 8:00am we would ride the same subway to work. No matter how crowded it was, we'd always boarded the same cart… number 28 on subway number 504." The old woman added.

She subconsciously leaned backwards against him as she rested the back of her head on his shoulder. He enjoyed her curves from behind but not as much as he enjoyed her curves in the front but, he couldn't complain. He leaned his body forward to merge even more with the back of her body.

"One day he finally broke out of his nerves and asked me to afternoon tea on Tenth Street." She said with a smile on her face as she tightened her grip on the hook of her cane. She looked up at them and added, "You two are such a lovely couple!"

"Oh! We're not together. We're just friends! Co-workers actually!" Jo burst out as she felt her face turn bright red. She instantly noticed how her back was leaning on his chest and she abruptly stood straight up. She shook her head and her eyes widened.

"Oh. My sincerest apologies, dear." The old woman replied but Jo sensed the _insincere_ tone in her voice and also a hint of mockery.

The subway halted to a stop. She let out a sigh. It was a sigh of sorrow, as she actually didn't want the subway ride to end. It was rare that she had a chance to be so close to him. She enjoyed feeling his warmth as if the whole world didn't matter even though they were right in middle of a busy morning subway. The spark that she felt when he had his arm around her was ineffable. She wondered when they would have the chance to do this again.

He sensed her motioning away from him as she was helping the old woman up from her seat along with the pregnant young lady. He couldn't help but let out a small smile.

"Now, you two take care, darling."

"Yeah, you too…. Sorry, I didn't get your name." Jo asked the woman as she held her hand out to them.

"Eve and my granddaughter, Laura." Eve replied as she nodded towards her granddaughter. She took Jo's hand in hers and gave it a firm squeeze.

"Nice to meet you two. Josephine, but everyone calls me Jo and this is my _boss_, Mac."

"Ah, what a pleasure." Eve squealed and took his hand in hers.

He replied with a simple, "the pleasure is mine" statement in a soft and low voice.

"Let's go, gran. Thank you for the seats." Laura tugged at her grandmother's jacket and urged her in the opposite direction. The old woman and the young lady said their farewells and waved adieu.

As they started towards the staircase, she subconsciously let out a slight shiver that did not go unnoticed by Mac. Hugging herself, she let out another small shiver and this time, there was a slight sound effect that went along with it. He mentally kicked himself as just realized that she was not wearing a jacket in the midst of winter. _Should've offered it to her on the subway_. He took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders without her knowing.

"Mac! No, I'm okay. Take your jacket back or else you'd freeze!" She said as she made her way up the final stair before entering the streets into the open air.

"I have my suit, scarf and gloves. You barely have anything. Just take it." He insisted and he let out a sincere smile.

She looked at him and her eyebrows bunched in the middle as it created an evident fold in between them. She finally gave up and nodded. He stood behind her and helped her thread her arms through his jacket. She smiled as a gesture of thanks.

She hugged his jacket towards her body and bunched her head until her chin slipped slightly beneath his collar. As they continued to walk towards the office building, he noticed that she was still a bit cold so he decided to take off his scarf too. He draped it over her neck and looped it around once. She looked up at him and was about to protest against his gesture but stopped when he gave her a look of, _don't argue with me_.

She buried her chin into his scarf until only half her face was visible. She took in a deep breath and enjoyed the scent of him. It was delightful and her eyes flinched slightly at the aroma. He looked at her and smiled slightly at the sight of her. He had to be honest - she looked very… cute in his clothes. His jacket was too big on her tiny, but curvaceous frame. He wondered what she would look like in his old tee-shirts after they made….

"Ugh, we're almost there!" She exclaimed as she nodded towards the office building.

"Finally!" He lied as didn't really want to go work today. He was in a different mood today and he wanted to spend the day with her doing whatever she wanted.

They approached the front of the building and he opened the heavy glass door for her. She walked in and thanked him. They quickly made their way to the elevator. She pressed the up button and she watched it light up. They stood in silence as they waited for the elevator.

"Jo, lunch at twelve… then, we're going to pick up the Avalanche at Willie Jone's." He finally said it broke the silence between them.

"Where are we eating?" She asked as she pressed the up button multiple times, thinking that it would make the elevator move faster.

"How about that little sandwich shop on Tenth Avenue? They have a nice selection of tea too. It's a block away from Willie Jone's. Let's take the subway there." He suggested.

"Why don't we get Flack to drive us or something?" She questioned him. She pushed the button again but this time, with much more force than the last.

"The subway was fun this morning…." He replied and let out a slight chuckle at her frantic beating on the poor elevator button.

Then, a wave of heat rushed through her body as she felt incredibly dizzy. She thought about what happened on the subway and how close they were together, how good he smelled, how his body felt against hers and what Eve had said. She swore that the floors were melting and the walls were spinning. She looked away in some random direction as she fisted her hands in the pockets of his coat.

"Hey, Jo! What's wrong?" He asked in a worried tone when he noticed her sudden unease. She didn't look sick to him and she didn't look hurt. He was slightly confused on why she was suddenly so quiet and not looking at him. In a fraction of a second, he figured out a potential reason as to why she was feeling uneasy. He quietly asked, "Jo, are you embarrassed by what Eve said?"

"No… no…. wh-why?" She stammered. _Why is he so darn perceptive?_ She looked up at him and a slight flush of rose crept up on her face. She thanked the Lord that the elevator door had opened as she wanted to dash straight to her desk and hide herself from him. She shouldn't feel attraction towards someone of a higher ranking.

"It's okay, you know? I don't mind what she said…" He insisted as they stepped into the elevator.

"You don't?" She asked sincerely. He tapped a button that was inscribed with the number, _34_ and he watched it glow.

"I don't… honestly. You know, one day we may make a lovely….." He said but he stopped himself and he decided to resort his attention to watching the elevator doors close.

"Maybe… it's silly... it's just…" She stuttered again and started to slip her arms out of his jacket.

"What? It's just… what?" He asked and turned her body so she could face him.

"I… I shouldn't feel this way. It's wrong." She said as she slipped out of his jacket and twirled off his scarf. She handed it to him and looked at him with big, glossy eyes.

"Jo, what's going on?" He asked confusingly. He took his garments back and put them back on quickly. He took off his gloves and bunched them into his pockets.

"Mac…It's wrong and I'm…. sca" She said honestly and she turned her gaze away from him. She looked at her toes and her hair fell from behind her ears as it covered her face. He quickly clicked in and knew what she meant.

"… I don't think it's wrong." He slipped in and stopped her from speaking. "I've done it before and it didn't work out because she missed London." He explained and she rendered no response in return. He knew she was scared… scared to get hurt again or scared to let another man near her.

"You're not going back to Virginia anytime soon, are you?" He joked as he tried to make her laugh. He paused slightly and just looked at her. The corners of her mouth curled upwards but he knew she was still tense. A moment of silence stretched between them and he whispered, "…. Don't be scared, Jo."

"I'm sorry... You probably don't feel the same way." She apologized. She looked up at him and she bit her bottom lip to stop her first tear from falling.

"Why are you sorry? How do you know I don't feel the same way? I'm not running away from you, am I?" He asked carefully and he let out a soft, low, and throaty chuckle.

He hated when she bit her bottom lip because it drove him insane. Whenever she did that, he would run up the walls as he thought it was the sexiest thing ever but this time, it was a sad lip biting

He reached out his hand and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear so he could see her porcelain face. A simple "mhm…" was all she could manage as she felt his warm fingers touch her cold skin.

Her eyes locked with his and she swore she could see his soul through his pupils. She knew he was sincere. She knew she could trust him because he was different from any other man she had been with. She reached her hand up to toy with the little American flag pin that was pinned into his perfect, wrinkle free, suit collar. _Should I make something up? Cancel our lunch plans? No… maybe I shouldn't. Oh crap, I don't know… _She continued to fiddle with his pin_._ She spun it clockwise and then spun it the other way. Then, she found her fingers slowly making its way to the side of his face.

He stood still and looked down at her. She looked mesmerized and he did not say anything. He enjoyed the silence and he could he hear subtle breathing. Her fingers sensed the small stubbles on his face as he hadn't shaved in two days. Then she looked at him with big eyes and dilated pupils. Her eyes were hungry as she focused on her target.

"Jo, one more thing…." He said quickly. He knew that the elevator was about to hit the 34th floor in a minute or so. He reached for her hand and gently held it in his. His thumb subconsciously started to create circular motions on top of her hand.

She didn't give him a chance to reply. She placed a small and soft but incredibly luxurious kiss on the corner of his mouth. Her lips felt sensational on him and he wondered what it felt like having her lips kiss all over his body. He felt a tad disappointed, as he wanted a full kiss. The kiss on the corner of his mouth was simply not enough. It teased him and left him wanting more.

"…. I really had to." She replied softly. He pressed his forehead against hers. Her eyes closed slightly and she let out a pent breath, as she knew this moment wouldn't last very long. _The elevator needs to move slower or just break for God sake. _She wanted to kiss him more, kiss him senseless. She loved the taste of him, well… just the corner of his lips. She wondered what the rest of him tasted like.

"I don't mind…" He said quiet honestly. He wanted more, much more. He snaked both of his arms around her waist and folded his hands behind her back, locking her in. He rested his hands just above the waistband of her jeans.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw what floor they were on. _24_. He had a half a minute or so. He gently tightened his grip around her and pulled her in closer to him. She titled her head upwards with her lips parted. She knew what as coming and she wanted it. His hands glided up her back and his touch made her quiver with anticipation.

Her hands snaked around his neck and her fingers started to gently play with his hair. He was going to back away and stop what he was doing as his head told him _no_ but his body kept on telling him _yes_. So, he decided to give in. He leaned down and closed the space between their lips. When her lips brushed against his once more, he swore that he would explode and rip her clothes off. He refrained his excitement and kissed her slowly, softly, patiently. She tasted beyond delicious and her lips…. He couldn't think of a word that would serve her lips justice.

She reciprocated with equal passion as she skimmed her tongue gently on his lower lip. That was it. He was going to faint or something and he cursed in his head as he felt his body tense. _What the hell are you doing to me, woman? _

She knew the elevator was going to stop soon as they were already on the 30th floor. She broke the kiss and the silence of the elevator made her breathing louder than it really was. He watched her chest rise to a crest and fall to a trough. Did this just happen? He leaned his forehead with hers and then he placed a soft kiss on the tip of her nose.

She suddenly remembered that he was going to tell her something before she interrupted him with their quick frenzy. In a barely audible voice, she asked, "What did you want to tell me?"

The elevator signaled for the 34th floor and the doors began to open. He carefully let go of her and looked into her eyes. Her hair was tousled and her lips were slightly swollen. He reached up and fixed her hair carefully and he brushed his index finger across her lips. He quietly whispered, "Why don't we stop by your place after lunch so you can get changed out of that shirt?"

* * *

_**A:N/ Well, this one shot is finished! Hope you enjoyed it! It's different from the others I've written! This one is a little fluffier and light hearted compared to my sad, depressing ones – LOL!**_

_**One of the lines is from the Sound of Music – that one's for you, Ewa (Quille). Thank you, E for always being such a kind and encouraging supporter! You always read/review my fics and you always push me to write more, I thank you for that!**_

_**Tell me what you think of this Fic by leaving me a little review – it would mean the world to me! Take care and have yourself a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!**_


	2. Through the Glass

**_A/N: Hey everyone! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! I read your reviews and some were requesting for a follow-up for, The Open Window in which was originally planned to be a one-shot. Well, I thought about it and… you know what? I think a follow-up will work! _**

**_This chapter has some lighthearted angst to it. I also tried a different writing style. If you read my follow my fics or even the last chapter, you'd know what I mean. :)_**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

_**"Through the Glass"**_

_**Jo's POV**_

I made a quick turn to my left and headed for the ladies room. I can't wrap my head around what just happened and I don't even want to think about the entire subway ordeal. What came over me?

I plop my purse down by the edge of the sink and rummage through it for my cosmetics bag. Catching a quick glance at my watch, I decide that I can take a few minutes to touch up. I always keep some spare makeup in here. As I took it out, I hear a faint sound of dripping coming from the sink next to mine. I stare at it and I don't take the initiative to turn the faucet off.

I open up my small, baroque printed cosmetics bag and I take out my eyelash curler and mascara. I stop my commotion as I catch my reflection in the mirror and stare at the horrendous mess on my head. As I comb my fingers through my hair, my attention then shifts towards the stray little hairs that I forgot to pluck from my eyebrows.

I studied myself in the mirror, long and hard, carefully looking at my features. I didn't hold any pride in what I saw. I held shame. How can someone like_ this_?

A mental image of Christine and then Claire flashed in my head and all I saw was pure beauty… something I don't and never will have. From the picture that I saw in Mac's apartment (the rare times that I've stepped foot in it), I saw how flawless Claire was. I stood there in front of the mirror and thought about her perfect complexion and compared it to my own.

Incomparable.

Then I thought about Christine. She was young and gorgeous with silky blonde hair that blew carelessly in the wind. The women in his past were beautiful. I haven't seen or met his other girl friends but I'm sure they were beautiful too. I feel like an outlier.

With my index finger, I gently skimmed the area to the corner of my eyes and I saw the evident crows' feet that formed. Those weren't there a few years ago…. I usually don't care about how I look when I get ready for work every morning but today was different. I feel utterly insecure. My lips weren't as full as I remembered them to be and I can't do anything about it. I pull out my favorite shade of Revlon lipstick and swiped it on carefully. I took out my concealer and dabbed in on the areas that I thought needed to be covered.

Then I trailed the concealer to my forehead and I looked closely into the mirror. I saw the reminisce of a scar that was left there by shattered glass along with a few other small scars that ran on the outskirts of my cheek. _Curtis_. I let out a pent breath and dabbed my finger in the concealer again and then brought it up to the scars and carefully covered them along with the freckles that dotted in random places on my face.

I wasn't completely satisfied with appearance but it will do. I step away from the mirror until I am able to see myself just above the knees. I ran my palm down my stomach and then eyed my thighs. They were still firm and I felt 'okay' about them but then again, I had to be fit for this job. I looked at my chest area and sighed. I'm hitting 47; they should look like this, right?

Now that dripping faucet is driving me up the walls and I quickly walk myself over to the sink to slam the thing off.

I need to change up my appearance. Nobody likes the same blue, black, and purple color palette that I call my 'wardrobe'. Maybe I could go shopping and change it up? Or go to the spa or the esthetician to get everything waxed? I could even wear some heels to work. Lindsay does…. I can too, right?

What a ridiculous proposition.

I look at myself again. How am I supposed to take my clothes off in front of him? I don't like what I see.

He won't either.

As I glanced at my watch, I realize that it was already 9:00am and I need to stop fussing with myself. I pull open the bathroom door as she sighed, knowing that I would never compare with the women from his past. I would never live up to how they looked, how beautiful they were or how they dressed.

I walk out the door and I turn to my right. I look through the glass of his office and he's there. Oh my god.

What am I doing?

* * *

He heard a chime coming from the elevator and he cocked his head up as he wondered who was late to work today. He saw who stepped out from the elevator and he knew it wasn't one of his team members, or anyone from the ME's office, or a young intern technician. The figure approached his office and he had no choice but to let her in.

"Christine?" He questioned as he stood up from his desk and walked over to the other side of it.

"I brought you lunch." She stated and held a Styrofoam box with both of her hands.

"Uh…. thanks." He replied as he took it from her hands and placed it on his desk.

"You know, New Year's is in a few days. Why don't we spend it together?" She blurted out without even thinking twice about it. She rendered no response from him and the only sound interrupting the silence of the room was the faint beeping of the lab machinery from across the hall.

"You know, over at my place … or your place. It doesn't matter." She urged and hoped for an affirmative response.

"But…." He trailed off, unsure what he was going to say.

"Yes, I'm not so fond of your job and your crazy hours… but I don't mind. I can … uh… try to live with that. I just don't want to live without you." She said as she took one of his hands in hers and caressed it softly. The motion caused him to subconsciously look at her and his eyes uncomfortably locked with hers. She knew he got his attention and she tried her best to keep it. She softened her eyes and she looked at him, hoping that he would agree.

He looked down at some random piece of paper on the floor just to look at something, anything to avoid her gaze. He felt his hands in hers and he felt a rush of anger pulsing through his veins. A slight sense of disappointment poked at her gut and she let out a pent breath.

"Say something…." She said as her voice trailed off and pulled on his arm as if she was a 5-year-old kid.

"You're really funny you know that?" He said and he freed himself from her grasp. He walked away from her and over to the window. He looked out of it and thought about everything she had said to him a few months ago. For a flash of a second, he wondered what Jo was doing and completely pushed aside Christine's presence. He knew what he wanted.

A minute of silence stretched between them and she obliviously took this silence as affirmation that he still wanted her.

She smiled lightly and walked over to the window where he was standing. She stood right in front of him and looked directly into his eyes, thinking that she was going to win this battle. She moved closer towards him and whispered, "I'm sorry, Mac. Why not give us another chance?"

"No, we're…" He started but was abruptly cut off by something against his mouth… her mouth. She pulled him further into her with both of her hands wrapped tightly around the nape of his neck. He responded by placing both of his hands on the base of her stomach, just above her waistline.

* * *

I can't watch anymore. Through the glass, my insecurities were confirmed. I felt a nauseating swirl at the pit of my stomach that was threatening to trigger an eruption of tears. I didn't feel hurt but instead I felt foolish and most of all, embarrassed.

I was right. Who the hell wants something ratty, torn…. old? I turn around and my back is now facing his office. I quickly dash into the bathroom again and I lock the door to the nearest stall. I need to breathe. I lean against the solid, cold cinder brick wall and I look up at the white florescent lights as I hug my purse close to my chest.

Breathe – inhale. _Hold._

I exhale as I try to release the intense emotions building up in my gut. My eyes dart to my leather boots, the ones with an ugly scoff at the side, and I think.

I'm trying to name a child who wants the last year's Barbie when there's this year's, brand spanking new Barbie sitting on the shelf right beside it. If I can name one, it will make me feel a glimmer of hope that he might want me.

I can't name one child.

* * *

She deepened the kiss but garnered no response in return. His brows furrowed as he tried to contemplate the assault that he just experienced. _What is she doing?_ With his hands still placed at the base of her stomach, he pushed her away with a firm force.

She felt an ineffable sense of disappointment boiling inside and she inevitably clenched her fingers together into a firm fist. She knew she had lost this battle.

"No." He said in a voice of disgust.

"I guess this is it, huh?" She asked with a sarcastic scoff as she looked at him with eyes of disappointment. She pushed back the lump that formed in her throat by silently gritting her teeth together.

"Yeah."

"Hey, she's one lucky woman... whoever she is." She said in a somber tone. Instinctively, she knew who this woman was but she decided to keep her mouth shut. She didn't want to add gas to the already blazing fire.

"Friends?" She said in a soft whisper.

He had nothing to say to her. He simply nodded as he crossed his arms across his chest and leaned back on his desk with an expression of clear annoyance.

She pursed her lips and she carefully eyed the ceiling to stop the sudden rush of emotions building up in her inner core. She saw the stapler on his desk and contemplated whether or not she should pick it up and throw it at him. She pushed the thought out of her mind, as it was her temper that got her in this mess in the first place.

Nodding slightly, she flashed a sad smile at him and he returned one of his own. She raised her hand slightly as a gesture of adieu and he did the same. In a barely audible tone, she whispered, "bye".

He tried to digest what just happened as he sat down on his chair. The aroma of the chicken Alfredo travelled into his nostrils and he did nothing but stare at the Styrofoam box with furrowed brows. He leaned over his desk and took it in his hands. He opened it and sighed. _I hate chicken Alfredo but I guess she never caught on._

He closed the lid and pushed it into the garbage bin.

* * *

I swallow the lump that was forming in my throat and I hold my head up a little higher than usual. Despite all my insecurities, I'm a strong woman. So I'm going to put on a brave façade and embrace the reality that I'm one of the leaders in this lab and no one likes a weak leader. I don't want to pass his office so I take the long way around to mine.

I finally made it to my office and I'm relieved that Lindsay's not in here so I can sit here in silence. I was about to drop drop my purse on my desk but then I saw the stacks of files, clusters of post-it notes and scatters of pens everywhere. I'll clean this later. I placed my bag on the floor and I plop myself down on the leather chair. I spun it around so I could face the window and look into the busy streets of New York.

I slouch down in the chair and I'm sitting like a man. It's comfortable, who cares? I bring my hands into a position in which looks as if I'm praying. I bring them to my lips and I just leave them there. I'm staring out the window and I'm thinking again. But I have no thoughts. Nothing comes to mind.

So I cry.

I hate crying but it helps. When stress builds up to an unmanageable amount, I turn my chair around in my office and I cry. Only for a minute though, more than that is simply too much. But this time, I find myself crying beyond the one-minute mark and I abruptly stop myself. I take both of my index fingers and brush off the small tear that rolled down from both of my eyes. I look up at the ceiling and run a finger along my bottom lash line and remove any excess mascara and eyeliner that may have smeared off. Then I turn around to face the desk and I pull myself out of my pity party to face reality.

For the next three hours, I try to drown myself with work but it's pointless as I caught myself multiple times reading the same four sentences over and over again. I reach over to take another sip of my tea and much to my disappointment, I find it already empty. That's my fourth tea.

"Hi." I heard him say in a low, husky voice.

"Hello." I greeted back with a slight smile. My mind races as I try to think of something to do.

"It's almost twelve. We'll be able to catch the subway." He says in a sweet but reminding tone.

I've been dreading this hour.

He's standing to my left with his coat in his hand. He remembered that I forgot my coat today; so he reached out with it and he's ready to hand it over to me. For a split second, I wish I suffered from Left Neglect then I wouldn't be able to see him standing to my left.

I don't want to want to go with him. It would be extremely painful especially after what I witnessed in his office this morning. He's probably just asking me to lunch because he promised he would so I wouldn't feel neglected. He knows that everyone has their significant other except me so he probably just feels bad for me. I don't need a man to stand on two feet. My mind is racing as I try to come up with some lame excuse as to why I can't go to lunch with him.

"I have to finish up a few reports. Sorry." I say softly as I stand up with the files in my arms. I'm lying to him. Fan-bloody-tastic.

I walk over to the file cabinet on the other side of my office and I open it. I pretend to be extremely busy as I aimlessly try to match up the files with their corresponding folder.

I hear him walk behind me and ask, "can't it wait?"

Turning my head slightly to see his face, I flash him a smile. I come up with a quick plan in my head. I'll go to lunch with him tomorrow to see if he will be honest with me. In my usual, soft voice I say, "sorry, boss. How about tomorrow?"

"Okay." He replies to me in a disappointed tone. I want to shove all the files in the folders, shut the cabinet, turn around and just hug him. I want to smell him and kiss him senseless. I want his one hand fisted in my hair and his other rubbing my back. But then I think of my interlude in the bathroom this morning and then my mind darts back to their kiss.

I keep filing.

"I'll pick you up a Panini. I don't suppose you want any more tea? "He asks rhetorically and added, "I noticed that you went to lunch room multiple times to refill your cup."

I don't voice my reply and I pretend that I'm too busy filing to even notice that he's talking.

He steps closer to me and asks again, "Turkey Panini?"

Just then, Adam walks into my office and drops off a file on my desk. Thank you, Adam. Great timing. He senses the high levels of tension radiating off of my body and presumably Mac's too. He doesn't say a word and he waves to Mac as he exits my office.

I slam the file cabinet shut as it shakes a little from my forceful push. I avoid his gaze and I make my way to my desk. In my very best everyday, no-big-deal, everything is jolly but assured voice I say, "Sounds good."

* * *

_**Four days later, New Year's Eve**_

A soft jazzy song is playing from the stereo of his car and I stare aimlessly out the window. I've given him four days to shoot me some honesty and explain what happened in his office. But I always bottle things up and the result? An explosion in my face. Tonight… I'm going to 'break-up' with him tonight. My god, I sound like a teenager breaking up with her boy toy.

I'm pathetic.

Other than the quiet voice of Elton John and the rhythmic tumbling of the tires, I hear nothing and the silence between us is unbearable.

"How's Ellie?" He asks quietly and he successfully breaks the deafening silence.

"Spending the New Year with some friends."

"Oh…" He replied with a slight sense of relief. As we approached a red light, he turned to look at me and I heard him let out a pent breath. In a voice that was slightly louder than the volume of the stereo, he firmly stated, "tell me what's bothering you."

"Nothing. Just tired. Can't wait to go home." I said quickly in three stern statements. So finally he noticed.

"You've been acting different in the past four days… it helps to talk to someone when you've got something on your chest." He offered politely just as the light turned green.

"Really, it's nothing."

"Okay." He said in a defeated voice, as he knew not to push it. But I wanted him to push further. I wanted him to push so far that I will just explode and I would have an excuse to yell at him.

He pressed on the indicator and its rhythmic pulse pierced the air as he turned the corner. He pulled into the parking lot and put the car in park. Getting out quickly, he dashed to my side of his car to open the door for me but I was already out. He looked at me and flashed one of his crooked, disappointed smiles.

I notice that he's holding a bag with something in it. What is it? I push the wonder out of my mind.

I don't care.

We walked in silence to the front entrance of my apartment building and I can sense his frustration. He pressed the 'up' button on the outside of the elevator and I aimlessly stare at the orange glow. As I heard the elevator signaling its arrival, the images of what happened in the elevator at work plays through. Shaking it out of my head, we step into the elevator in syncopated motions.

I wait for the elevator door to close and when it does, I am automatically deafened by the silence inside the 8by8 metal box. I sense my heart beating, playing percussions on my ribcage as I fist my fingers together.

We rise up to the eleventh floor in tension filled silence. I start rummaging through my purse for my keys and I finally fish them out of the zipper compartment.

Walking shoulder to shoulder towards the end of the corridor, he says, "Hey, I got you something…." as he holds the bag slightly in front of me for me to notice it.

I'm going to explode.

I stop in the middle of the hall and I turn around to look him directly in the face. I take in a deep breath and say, "keep it, Mac."

He looks at me with furrowed brows and a look of confusion. He's silenced by my sudden upheaval. It's not the southern way, I know but I had to.

Contents will explode under pressure.

"Give it to me… next year, or maybe the year after. I don't know when…" I continued as I turned to start walking towards my apartment door. I quicken my pace and I reach my door. Finally.

"Give it to me when you're sure of who you want." I blurt out, expecting him to raise his voice at me.

Explosion.

I had no idea what just came out of my mouth. That sounded really harsh and I think I'm really pissing him off. Good.

"I'm not quite sure I understand what you're talking about." He replied. He bunched his eyebrows together and they created an evident indent in the center.

He puts his hand on my shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze, gently pulling me as he wanted me to face him. Even through the heavy fabric of my pea coat, his hand on my shoulder sent a rocket of heat through my body. I didn't let my knees go weak. I didn't give into his firm grasp. Instead, I continued to fidget with the damn key and keyhole.

Goddamn key, get in!

I ignore him and continue to desperately open my stupid door. This is just ridiculous! Who was the idiot locksmith that installed this thing? I fidget with it again, frantically trying to neglect his presence. I want to run away from him but there's not enough room between the door and his body to make a quick dash. _Crap, wrong key!_

I took the bundle of keys and rummaged through them to find the other gold one. I smell his cologne. I love when he wears that one. It's fresh, masculine, and musky with a hint of cool spice. Bloody fantastic. I feel a warm, stinging sensation building up behind my eyelids. I refused to let the tears fall. That will show that I'm weak.

I shake my head as I try to maintain a brave posture to let him know that I'm not backing down that easy. I'm not weak.

I really want to say I hate him and I really want to feel hate towards him but I can't bring myself to do such a thing. I think I've really fallen for him because I'm going insane over him. I took in a deep breath and said quietly, "You know, I may not be as young as her, as thin as her or as beautiful as she is…."

I stop dead in my tracks as I sense him glaring at me, unable to comprehend what was coming out of my mouth. I got a "punch in the face" kind of confrontation the last time I stuck my nose in his personal business with Christine. My god, I learned my lesson. I told him, _"already forgotten"_. Did he believe that? A woman never forgets anything and she certainly never forgets when a man hurts her.

I shut up as my mind scrambles for something else to verbally throw at him. "Sorry, I forgot. Get my nose out of your personal business, right." I say with strong emphasis on the word _personal_.

That was exceptionally intense and harsh but it was my intention. I don't want him here tonight and I don't want to see him either. I'm genuinely a nice person and I usually give the perps a chance to explain themselves but I don't want to hear his explanation. I'm too tired.

"J-Jo…" He stutters as I hear him let out a sigh. In my mind, he's pinching the bridge of his nose as he always does when he's frustrated.

"It's none of my business, I got it." I said softly as I felt my voice threatening to crack. Finally, I managed to open that stupid door. I need to get the hell away from him.

I'm really angry with him and I can't bring myself to forgive the man. It's a jealousy thing, a woman thing. I wish he would just leave me alone. He's so goddamn persistent. I have to get rid of him. If I see him for one more minute, I'm going to melt in a heap of tears.

I let myself into my own home and I quickly swing around to close the door in order to stop him from coming in. Just so, I faintly see his face in the dim lighting of the apartment corridor.

Here it comes. Stupid tear. Why the hell am I crying so much today? I'm not supposed to cry. I'm not built to cry.

God, I hate crying.

I want to blurt something out to him and really hurt him. Call him some rude name or something. I clench my fists together behind my semi-closed door and I slam my eyes shut. I breathe in a breath of courage and I think. He pushes against the door in attempt to open it but my body responds with equal force to keep him out.

I swallow hard and I say in a firm, harsh and stern tone, "Go home, Mac. Happy new year."

* * *

_**A/N: Holy sh*t. I think my new approach to writing just exploded in my face. What do you think? Do you think it's too "soapy"? I tried to make Jo, 'real' if you know what I mean and I think I'm pushing towards failure :/ Tell me in your review (even though I'm really nervous to read them). They're very much appreciated! Love you guys! Thanks for reading!**_

_**:)**_


	3. When The Shades Are Down

_**A/N: I'm so sorry! This chapter was supposed to be up for the new-year but as you can tell, I'm very late! Put on your 'new-year' spirit as you read this chapter! (: So so sorry, January is an insane month for exam crunch.**_

_**Okay, I'm not quite sure if you guys will like this chapter (I sincerely hope you do!). I wanted to explore another side of Jo a little bit… the fuming, nutty, Drama Queen part of every woman. **_

_**Enjoy! xo**_

* * *

**Chapter 3: When The Shades Are Down**

"_You hold yourself together like a pair of bookends."_

"_Who are you when I'm not looking?"_

"_When you undress, do you leave a path?"_

"_Do you break things when you get mad?"_

_"I wanna know..."_

_. . . . ._

_- B. Shelton_

_**Mac's POV**_

"Let me explain." I state sternly as I stuck my foot in the door to stop her from closing it. It wasn't even a question as in, _can you let me explain_? It was a command.

"I don't see a need for that." She said as she stubbornly pushed against the door.

"Jo, come on." I tried with an urging voice. I've never seen this side of her before and I'm guessing no one on the team has seen her this feisty either. This is something new. I push on her door a little harder and I say softly, "The door is about to break."

Thinking I was serious, she backed off slightly in which allowed me to push the door open slightly as I slipped my body into her apartment. I shake my head in disbelief and I can't believe that we had to go through all of that just for me to get in. I feel slightly uneasy, as this was very strange to me. She never runs away and she always speaks her mind but why is she running away this time?

My eyes are focused on the back of her head as that's the only part I see right now. She's trying to neglect my presence and I hope it isn't working.

"I want to explain..." I started until she cut me off.

"I've been there before. I'll get over it." She said as she bent over to unzip the sides of her leather boots. I spot her uneasy movements and it appears to me that she's slightly disoriented – dazed.

I quietly breathe in the aroma of her apartment, enticed that this is what her natural aurora smells like. This isn't my first time over at her place but every time I enter her safe haven, it's like a whole new atmosphere. It smells like something I want, something I need… something like…

Home.

I see her kick off her shoes and I instinctively do the same without her invitation into her apartment. She takes off her coat and I take the silence as a chance to finally speak. "I…" I start, but then she interrupts me again. She lets everyone explain their sides of the story before she makes an analytical statement but why isn't she letting me?

"So here I am, a divorced, single mother who works night after night because I know nobody is interested in me. Available guys my age want somebody that look like – forgive me – somebody that looks like Christine" She keeps rambling and to be frank, I'm not quite sure what's she's rambling about. I'm her age and by no means do I want 'somebody that looks like Christine'.

Oh, now it clicks in with what she meant by _I've been there before_. She was left for someone younger. I know him. Male FBI's are morons anyways. I keep listening to her nonetheless. I see her taking off her jacket and frantically hanging it up in the closet.

She blindly reaches out her hand, instinctively asking for my coat so she can hang it up too. She embraces hospitality even when she's upset. Then, she continues to ramble. "The over, what, 40…45 datin' scene is geared towards men leavin' older women out."

She pauses as she gathers her thoughts and assembles what she's about to say next.

"What's the result? Women like me build up a strong façade and men, especially those your age, are threatened by strong women so you go for the younger ones."

"This is very out of character for you, Jo. I've never seen you like this before…" I add in. It's the truth. This is very foreign to me and I'm not quite sure how to handle this.

I guess I'll wait. I'll be courteous here and I'll let her ramble. I don't mind waiting on a woman. She can let it all out.

I'll wait.

"Well, women like me are nuts, alright? We hold ourselves together like a pair of bookends. We're calm, subtle and confident at work but when you mess with us…."

Waiting….

I'm listening to her rant as I hand her my coat. Her southern accent is coming out and I'm completely in awe with it. Without looking at me, she takes my coat and angrily places it on the hanger. She gives up on her thought and she makes her final statement, "…. single older women like me are as screwed up as it gets, okay?"

She's finally done.

"I want my two cents in now." I command again with a cocked eyebrow. I'm trying to understand her rant as she's stereotyping "all the men her age". She has never seen herself through my eyes.

"… And I want you to leave." She states firmly and looks directly at me.

I let out a slight chuckle as I can't help but laugh at how she didn't even notice that she already hung up my coat. She looks at me, annoyed, as she doesn't understand what I'm chuckling about. She casts me an unsure glance and I point at the closet with a lazy finger.

"It seems like you already invited me in."

She narrows and then rolls her eyes as she turns the other way towards the kitchen. She doesn't even bother to turn on the light as she dashes towards the refrigerator and opens it. _Water, water… where are the water bottles?_

"How much did you see?" I ask, half sternly and half softly.

"Enough." She answers firmly. She slams the refrigerator door and folds her arms across her chest. She turns her head to the left and stares aimlessly at something in her kitchen.

"Clearly not the whole thing." I say as I try to defend myself.

She presses her lips together and she slightly shakes her head in distraught. She scoffs as she lets out a fast breath. In a mere broken voice she asks softly but sternly, "Are you just using me, Mac?" Then she starts to bit her lower lip and I can tell she's trying to keep all her emotions in tact. But when she started again, I could tell she was trying her best to swallow the lump in her throat. "Tell me who you want."

"I told _her_, no". I state firmly as I placed the slim, paper bag on her counter.

"Because..." I started again but I trip on my own words as I collect my thoughts. I swallow hard as I try to neutralize the tension boiling in my throat but I attempt to speak again.

"… Because her and I were long over… " I stumble and I pause as I try to make my next sentence not sound condescending.

"…. a-and that I found someone else. It took me a long time to realize that I didn't want anybody else because I needed this _someone_." I spit out the words with one slow breath. I see her eyes soften and she lets out a pent breath. After Claire, I could never imagine myself letting down my guard and speaking such words. This was foreign, unlikely, and strange but for some reason, these words gave me comfort.

She pretends to ignore me and spots what I have placed on the counter. She takes whatever is in my paper bag and chucks it in the fridge. She staring into the fridge and stands there with her feet planted to the ground. She's still. She's thinking. My words are now registering in her brain.

I hear nothing but silence. I quickly and quietly make my way closer to her even though she has her back towards me. I can sense her slight shiver.

"I think strong women are sexy as hell…." I started. Normally I would never use the word 'sexy' as the word makes me nervous. But this was the time to use it because there isn't another word that would fit better.

I see her twirl pointer finger in a lazy circle in the air as she sarcastically starts, "So what? You want me to fall weak at the knees and…" She turns around and is automatically rendered speechless as she notices how close we were to each other.

"…. And I want one in my life…."

I've got her attention.

"… even if they're nuts….." I add.

We switch positions as she moves away from the refrigerator and around to the other side of me.

I follow her movements and I know she's going to run away if I don't do anything. I take both of my rigid hands and cup the sides of her warm, soft face. She freezes and her eyes look directly into mine. They're hazy with a hint of moisture. There's nothing but silence. All I can hear is her allegro heartbeat and the humming from the refrigerator. The back of me is feeling slightly cool as she didn't close the door but I don't take the initiative to shut it because I don't want to take my eyes off of her.

"…. because this one always has my back, praises me during my triumphs and dusts me off after my fall. She puts me first but I was ignorant enough to push her away…."

"I want to pull her back… but only if she lets me."

I gingerly stroke the surface of her cheek with the pads of my thumbs. I'm not sure if they're warm from her sudden flush, the closeness between us or the adjustment of the temperature from outside to in. I don't know. I don't care. It just feels good to touch them.

I feel the slightest tear drop skim across the top of my thumb and I brush it off because never again do I want to be the reason for them.

"Mac, I'm …" She whispers ever so softly but I stop her from saying anything more by giving her a gentle kiss. I was about to pull away and say something else but she clenches onto folds of my suit and pulls me in deeper.

I can feel her chest pressing into mine and as she pulls me even closer. I feel my knees buckle slightly and my heart is playing percussions with my ribcage. With each beat, I can feel the blood pulsing through my veins in all the right places.

My arms make their way around to smallest part of her frame. Her slim hourglass figure curves and dips to my touch. I feel her caressing the nape of my neck with one hand while the other is clenching onto the fabric of my suit jacket as if it she was holding onto it for dear life.

I leaned into her, intentionally pushing her backside into the kitchen counter. I give her the slightest lift and I find the most beautiful woman sitting on the counter with my body in between her legs. The only thing keeping us apart is our clothes but I don't want to rush her or force her to do anything she doesn't want. After all, we've been together for five days…

… but it seems like three years.

It takes every ounce of my sanity to break our lips apart. She leans her forehead down to mine and holds the sides of my face. From the way she's holding me and the rhythm of her labored breathing, she knows what I'm thinking. She's analyzing the thoughts that are going through my brain. She knows that I'm caring about her needs and not about mine.

"I want this." She whispers quietly in between breaths.

"We don't have to rush, Jo we ca…" I started to reply but then she whimpers a quiet plea, "… Mac."

She leans down and kisses me again. The faintest taste of chamomile and honey lingers on my lips and I'm not surprised. It's her favorite tea. She slips her hands into the shoulders of my suit jacket and I make the initiative to finish the job as I take it off and throw it on the floor. I tug at the bottom hem of her shirt and slowly guided it upwards.

I see her navel and I leaned down to place a lazy kiss beside it. My hands are inside her shirt and I skim the sides of her frame as my kisses make their way up her body. I hear her slight intake in breath as my lips found a sensitive spot right at the apex of her left rib cage. She's warm and I feel an increase of temperature radiating off of her body. Her arms respond to my touch as she raises them and I pull off the dark blue, cotton fabric. I throw it on the floor and it finds residence beside my jacket.

I see black lace covering her fullness and I'm not sure how to comprehend what I'm seeing. The refrigerator light makes her body glow as it accentuates all the right places.

She sees that I'm still in my maroon dress shirt and she unbuttons it. After the fourth button, I feel her hands inside as she touches the rise of my chest. Her fingers are slightly cold and it sends bursts of tingles wherever she touched. She kisses me again as I unbutton the remaining three pests and remove the shirt. A chill runs up my spine but I'm unsure if it's from the cool air from the refrigerator or how she just ran her fingers down my back.

Taking the advantage of both her legs being at the sides of my body, I grab the back of her knees and lift her off the counter. I tightly hold onto her and I look up at her as her eyes look into mine. She leans down and places a soft kiss on my forehead, then my nose and then my lips. Her forearm rests on my shoulders, grabbing onto me as I blindly carry her into the hallway.

"Which one?" I ask in a barely audible tone as I'm unsure which of the four doors belonged to her.

She chuckles slightly as she leans down to press her forehead onto mine. Her hair falls out from behind her ears and tickles the sides of my face as she whispers, "end of the hall. Your right."

She gently presses her lips to mine again and she brushes her tongue gently across mine. I feel a tad light headed. I successfully make it to her bedroom door without fainting. I hold her up with one arm as my other twists the doorknob to open it. I enter, make my way to the left edge of her bed and let her down on the floor. I'm dying to see her but the darkness won't allow it.

"No." She pleas softly when notices me leaning down slightly to turn on the lamp on her bedside table.

Her forehead is pressed against my upper chest and I can feel her heavy breathing. She shakes her head slightly and again, I hear her whisper, "no" with a cracked voice.

"Why?" I ask breathlessly as I back away slightly to tilt her chin up. I see nothing in her dark room except the shine in her eyes.

"I'm… not as young as I used to be." She breathes and she turns her head to look away from me.

"Hey. I'm not twenty anymore either." I say quietly and then I tilt her chin towards me again. She presses her lips together and I can sense a slight nervous chill crawling on her face. As I press a soft kiss on her forehead I whisper, "I want to see you."

I reach over to turn the lamp on and I'm mesmerized at how the golden hue of the light enhanced the natural glow of her body. She smiles nervously and then her eyes lock into mine. I move closer to her until my chest was slightly grazing hers. I kiss her jaw, then her neck, trailing down to her shoulders as I carefully wrap my arms around to her upper back and I find the two hooks that are covering her.

I unclasp the bra with ease as my lips journey up her neck once again, making her softly moan. There's the spot. I kiss it again, slightly harder this time and as I'm about to receive another moan from her. I kiss her, capturing the delightful sound in my mouth. I place my hands on her shoulders and swiftly push off the straps.

The black lace drops and see the hill and valley of her fullness. I back away slightly and I simply enjoy what she has presented in front of me. She gives me a crooked smile as her eyes dart away from mine. "You're…" I say in a low, breathless whisper and I shake my head in disbelief as I can't come up with a word to describe what I see. I lean in closer again and all I can do is wrap my arms around her to hold her close to me.

I feel the softness and warmness of her bare skin as her chest is now touching mine and the feeling is ineffable. My heart is causing my veins to pulse in all the right places. I let her go and she runs the tips of her fingers over my chest and then slowly down my abs. I feel her fingers slip into the front hem of my trousers and I take a sharp intake of breath as to what may come next.

But I'm fooled and teased. She tightly takes hold of the hem of my trousers as she looks up at me through her thick eyelashes and she mischievously bites her bottom lip. With her hands still firmly gripped onto the them, she pulls me towards her but she doesn't kiss me. Instead, she teases me again by kissing only the corner of my mouth.

I let out a muffled, dissatisfied groan. "Here", I whisper and I show her exactly what I meant by giving her a proper kiss. My hands run down her bare back as I enjoy every inch of her porcelain smooth skin. When I reach the dip of her spine, my hands circle around to the front of her lower stomach, traveling even further to her belt buckle. She's gently sucking on my bottom lip as she's undoing my belt buckle as well.

My knees are threatening to give out.

I'm burning every ounce of control as I try not to push her down on the bed and make love to her in every possible way. When her belt is unclasped, I tug it out of her jeans and I throw it on the floor. My hands wander around to the curve of her spine again as I try to gently lean her downwards on the bed with my body. But she doesn't let me just yet as she's giving my belt a soft but forceful yank.

She pulls out my belt and blindly fondles with my zipper as carefully push her back onto the duvet with the momentum of my body. Her hands travel to the sides of my body as she slips off my trousers.

I always imagined that she had long, lean, soft and flawless legs. I want to see them, feel them and run my hands on them. I unbutton the denim that is keeping the pair of porcelain sculptures hostage. I prop myself up slightly and I remove her jeans, blindly throwing them on the floor afterwards. The glow of the light highlighted every inch of her smooth body that was sprawled under me. I was right, she had legs of a goddess.

Smooth like velvet.

A million miles long.

I lean upwards and kiss her again. The only thing keeping us apart was her black lace and my grey boxers. My only option was to remove those too.

So I do.

My lips trail down her neck, her collarbone, the hills and valleys of her chest, her stomach, down to her navel. I hear her blow out a fast, hard breath. I kiss lower and I can feel the heat radiating off her core. I hear a slight muffled moan escape her and I move upwards to seal her mouth with another kiss. I'm pressed against her and I see her eyes close slightly. The harmony of her breathing is uneven as she rises to an allegro tempo.

Suddenly my gut twitches into a knot and my eyes shoot right open. My mind scrambles as to where it might be or where I could've left it. Was it my suit jacket? The pocket of my trousers? This is highly unlikely but perhaps she has some. "Do you have someth…." I started to ask and prayed that she would say yes. I mentally kick myself for forgetting my wallet in the car.

"Pill." She breathes and wraps her fingers around the nape of my neck, urging me to kiss her again. A sense of relief showers over me and my lips dances with hers. I trail down to that spot on her neck and I gently caress it with my lips and then slightly with my tongue. A soft sound escapes her and the palm of my hand could feel her abdomen faintly twitch.

I feel something powerful inside of me, swirling in my stomach and burning in my mind. Something I've haven't felt in a long time. Closure, intimacy with a mixture of yearning and desire. It's something ineffable but I'm happy as hell to feel it again.

She laces one of her hands into mine and her fingers grip it hard. She swings her right leg around the exterior of my lower body and her left leg is bent upwards. Her breathing starts to intensify and my breath spontaneously follows. My yearning body presses against her and I see her eyes close slightly, her mouth hanging slightly ajar.

I feel my body tense as her back arches forward.

* * *

About two hours have passed. I hear nothing except the quiet ticking of her wall clock, the subtle sound of the air blowing out of the vent and of course, her rhythmic breathing. I feel her warm, gentle breath tickling the side of my neck as I hold her. For some strange reason, I'm still wide-awake, as I look down at her sound asleep.

A low rumble interrupted the blissful silence of the room and I felt her rhythmic breathing stop. I quickly blink twice, confused as to where the sound was coming from. I heard the low rumble again as she stirred in my arms. I became slightly frustrated, as I was afraid that darn sound was going to wake her. Then I feel a small, tiny vibration against the side of my body.

"I'm hungry." She said in a raspy whisper.

"What?" I asked as I looked down at her with a confused glance. Her eyes were still closed and I contemplated whether she was sleep talking or if she was serious.

"I said… I'm hungry." She repeated

Oh, she wasn't sleep talking.

"It's one thirty in the morning, Jo."

She let out a low groan as she took the comforter and hugged it closer to her body.

I saw her movement and couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle. "But you don't want to get out of bed, do you?"

Another groan escaped her except it was of a slightly higher pitch. An affirmative groan. Then I saw her slightly dip her head further into the comforter until the fluffy white sheets covered half of her face. I could sense another growl escalating from her stomach and I was right.

I took the edge of the comforter and slowly pulled it downwards until I could see her full face. She was on the verge of going back to sleep and getting something to eat. I knew which side was going to win.

"Food. Good ole' delicious grits, gravy, black eyed peas salad, fried chicken…." I started to trail off, as I knew these were her favorite southern dishes. I tried to urge her to get out from bed and join me in the kitchen, as I was wide-awake and hungry too.

I pulled the comforter even further downwards and I saw her upper chest area but nothing more. I gently pull again just so I can see what I've seen, just an hour or so, again. She sensed my motion and her eyes shot open.

"Those don't sound tempting." She began as she quickly rolled on top of me and took the comforter along with her as it covered our bodies. Now I don't need to see them but I can feel her bare fullness against my chest

She kissed the tip of my nose and my eyes close ever so slightly as the warm curves of her lips touched me. She looked aimlessly around the room but not for something in particular but simply illustrating that she was thinking. Then she softly whispered, "I'm craving something sweet… with strawberries."

* * *

"Hm… let's see what we have here…"

"Sweet with strawberries, huh? Oh, look. We have eggs, a stick of butter, milk, vanilla extract and whipped cream."

"Are you feeling a little bit French?" I ask. She's standing by the pantry in search for something. I'm not quite sure what to be exact but I do know she looks impeccably delicious in nothing but a long, oversized blue tee shirt and a pair of boy shorts.

"I don't know, why?"

"Crepes?"

She nothing but let a wide smile caress her face. It wasn't just any smile. It was her signature smile with lips that framed her gleaming, seemingly perfect, porcelain teeth. Then she ran her pointer finger along her bottom lip like she always does and I took this small gesture as a 'yes' to my request.

.

.

.

"I'm impressed." She says as she picks up the last piece of strawberry with her fingers and pops it in her mouth. A reminisce of strawberry and syrup is on her fingers. She brings her fingers to her mouth and licks the sweetness off of it as she tilts her head slightly to look at me.

What a tease.

I give her a crooked smile as a gesture of _'thank you'_ and silently telling her that she's a horrible tease. She gets up, takes her plate along with mine and places it in the sink.

"Thanks for the Rosé."

"Oh, so you did realize I bought you a bottle of red. I thought you didn't even notice it." I quip. She's leaning against the counter, the same counter I leaned her against just a few hours ago.

"Of course I noticed it. I just wanted to effectively show that I was pissed off." She chuckles as she picks up the bottle and cradles it in her hands then she adds, "But let's save it for another night…" She places the bottle on her wooden wine rack and tosses the paper bag into the recycle bin.

With a gentle smile, I agreed to her suggestion. Another night, another memory in the making.

She makes her way over to the opposite side of the kitchen and I follow her. She opens a light wooden door and I couldn't help but wonder what she was up to. Her body extends as she reaches for something on the top second shelf of her pantry. I take advantage of her reach as I eye her legs once again. She's on her tippy-toes in which makes her legs longer than I remembered them a few hours ago. I notice that her toes are painted an oxblood red and that she has a very small tattoo on her ankle. It looks like a _T_ merged with an _E_.

I raise my eyebrows slightly and smirk at the sight. Unexpected of her but, predictable.

She pulls out a cylindrical shaped container and grins as she asks, "Hot cocoa?"

"Sure." I say and I take the container from her as I imply that I would make the beverage for the both of us. I walk over to the stove and I grab the kettle to fill it with water.

"Oh no, Mac… that's not how you make real hot cocoa." She explains. I now see her by the refrigerator and she opens it to grab a carton of milk. She walks over to me and places it down beside me on the counter near the stove.

"You've gotta make it with hot milk. That's how it gets rich and extra creamy." She explained to me in a low, husky, soft voice and accentuated the word, _creamy_.

* * *

She's clicks the lighter for the third time and lets out a defeated breath, as it doesn't seem to be igniting. Finally giving up, she opens the little drawer underneath the side table and pulls out a box of matches. I see her fiddle with the small cardboard box until she finally ignites a flame. Dipping it slightly into the hurricane of the candle, she smiles as she sees the wick light up as it makes the room glow.

I'm over by her fireplace as I turn it on for extra warmth. I watch as the mock fire logs burst in a heap of false electric flames. I stand up and I move slightly on the pivot of my heel and I look. Really look…

She's got canvases hung in various sizes on her walls but I'm captivated by this piece on top of her fireplace. It's rather large and beautiful but of something I've seen before. I saw a small scribble at the bottom right corner of the canvas and I read it quietly in my head._  
_

"You never told me you painted."

"It's something I like to keep to myself." She said as she approaches me from behind and rests her chin on my shoulder.

I'm still staring at her signature and wondering, _why_? I tilt my head slightly and I blink a couple of times. I put on my thinking face and I narrow my eyes.

"You're wondering about my signature, aren't you?" She asks softly into my ear.

"How did…" I start, as I'm truly astonished as to how she knows these things.

"From the tilt of your head and when you're confused, your mouth hangs slightly ajar." She explains and I let out a slight breath of laughter.

"I was young back then. Seventeen. I didn't know what I really wanted and I created pieces that were master copies. Well the one you're looking at is a master copy. Claude Monet. I couldn't really find myself and I let other's define me." She explained as she tilted her head to look at her piece.

"So the name Josephine was a standard. I didn't really know what I preferred." She stated without any further explanation.

I pointed out to the piece beside it. It was an abstract, almost cubic figure who sat by a window, thinking as she looked out the window. Everything was a monochromatic blue color palette except the figure itself. It was vivid. Bold.

"That's the year stamped on my divorce papers." She began. "I found myself. I knew what I wanted, what I liked and who I was."

We paused for a moment and let the silence stretch between us. Her arms were wrapped from behind around my waist and her chin was still resting on my shoulder. Then she quickly kissed the back of neck and whispered, "Let's go to bed".

She let go of me, made her way over to the couch and placed her red mug on the coffee table. She sat down and reached out her hand to gesture that I was welcomed to join her. I walked over, placed my mug right next to the red one and sat beside her. She reached over and grabbed the blanket that was draped over the headrest of the rather large sofa. With her body, she gently pushed me downward, indicating that she wanted to lie down with me.

I couldn't resist her movements and I did what her body told me to do. I lay down and she gently placed her light body on top of mine. I took the blanket and covered the both of us. Her head rested on the crook of my neck as my arm wrapped around her shoulders.

This is the way it should be.

She was still awake and was staring aimlessly into space. I noticed a large, primed canvas but mostly white, leaning against the television stand.

"…. Well, what about that one over there?" I asked quietly, forcing her to escape from her aimless stare.

"There? I started that in May of 2012… so last year."

"It's unfinished…." I point out.

"The story is just beginning." She said quietly and left no other explanation.

The moment of silence allowed to her know that I understood. May. It hit her harder that it hit me.

"Is that how you get the ladies? By being soft and sweet talking them into bed?" She asks in a low murmur and broke the silence. She shifts one of her legs as it rests in between mine. She chuckles quietly. I've obviously heard her laugh before but holding her so close makes her laughter sound different and it makes it special. One of a kind. A treasure.

"I'm always soft."

"I beg to differ."

"Unless you're speaking in a different context." I quipped

"You're horrible." She says and I could feel the slight tremor of her body as she giggles again. I chuckle along with her and then silence breaks the air again as suddenly everything went quiet. I look down at her and I see her lame attempt in trying to keep her eyes open. Then she finally admits defeat and shuts them. She shifts her arms, tucks it underneath the blanket and snuggles into me a little more. Her breathing evens and I feel her body becoming slightly heavier.

"I'm only skimming the surface. I have a lot more to know about you." I whisper as my eyes make another round in her living room. Each phase of her life was illustrated right before me and I take a minute to breathe it all in.

I look down at her and saw that her rhythmic breath was blowing a stray piece of her hair. I smile lightly and tuck it gently behind her ear. I smile again as I saw that she was already rounded by a new phase of deep slumber.

I've always wanted to know…. Who are you when I'm not looking? Beyond the office walls and the case files? Who are you when you're at home, when the doors are locked and the shades are down?

Now I know.

And I'll continue to find out.

_**C'EST FINI**_

* * *

_**A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I apologize if this chapter was too fluffy, crazy, ridiculous, too sweet, or goo-ey. Even the supposed "angst-y" parts are light-hearted b/c the genre of this piece was "humor" so I wanted it to be light!**_

_**I really hoped you liked the dialogue at the end! I thought it would be cool as Sela majored in Art! **__**I apologize if it's way too OOC! **__**But, I'm not quite sure how "in character" Jo or Mac would be in a love scene….**_

_**Once again, thank you so much for reading! Please leave me a review and tell me what you think!**_


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